Worrtley History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

The Anglo-Saxon name Worrtley comes from when the family resided in Wortley, in the West Riding of Yorkshire. The place-name was recorded as Wirteleie in the Domesday Book. It is composed of the Old English elements wyrt, which means vegetable, and leah, which means forest clearing. The place-name meant "forest clearing where vegetables are grown." 1 English local names were originally preceded by a preposition, such as de, at, atte, by, in. After the Norman Conquest, the usual preposition was de, which was used in both English and French place-names. In French names beginning with a vowel, the de was often merged with the name. For example, de Ash would become D'ash and later, Dash. By the end of the 14th century, prepositions were frequently assimilated or dropped from the surname.

Early Origins of the Worrtley family

The surname Worrtley was first found in South Yorkshire at Wortley, home to Wortley Manor, a stately home which was rebuilt by Sir Richard Wortley in 1586. Today it is home to a group of local trade union activists that purchased the estate in 1951. Wedding ceremonies and day visitors are welcome. "This place, which had been for many generations the property and residence of the Wortley family, was, on the demise of Sir Francis Wortley, Bart., the last male heir, conveyed, by marriage with his daughter and heiress, to the Hon. Sidney Montagu." 2

Early History of the Worrtley family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Worrtley research. Another 86 words (6 lines of text) covering the years 1577, 1579, 1583, 1592, 1611, 1652 and 1665 are included under the topic Early Worrtley History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Worrtley Spelling Variations

The English language only became standardized in the last few centuries; therefore,spelling variations are common among early Anglo-Saxon names. As the form of the English language changed, even the spelling of literate people's names evolved. Worrtley has been recorded under many different variations, including Wortley, Wortly and others.

Early Notables of the Worrtley family

Notables of the family at this time include Francis Wortley of Wortley, High Sheriff of Derbyshire 1577, Custos Rotulorum of the West Riding of Yorkshire, 1579-1583; Sir Richard Wortley, of Wortley Hall, Yorkshire; and...
Another 33 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Worrtley Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Worrtley family

For many English families, the political and religious disarray that shrouded England made the far away New World an attractive prospect. On cramped disease-ridden ships, thousands migrated to those British colonies that would eventually become Canada and the United States. Those hardy settlers that survived the journey often went on to make important contributions to the emerging nations in which they landed. Analysis of immigration records indicates that some of the first North American immigrants bore the name Worrtley or a variant listed above: W. Wortley settled in San Francisco in 1850.

The Worrtley Motto +

The motto was originally a war cry or slogan. Mottoes first began to be shown with arms in the 14th and 15th centuries, but were not in general use until the 17th century. Thus the oldest coats of arms generally do not include a motto. Mottoes seldom form part of the grant of arms: Under most heraldic authorities, a motto is an optional component of the coat of arms, and can be added to or changed at will; many families have chosen not to display a motto.

Motto: Avito viret honore
Motto Translation: He flourishes through the honour of his ancestors.

Citations +

Mills, A.D., Dictionary of English Place-Names. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-19-869156-4)
Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.